Page 9

Xander

“WHERE IS HE?” Brian roars, sending his beta power out ahead of him, adding a punch to his words of outrage.

The floor vibrates under the pounding of his boots as he comes into the entryway from the back hall after slamming open the door that leads down to the basement and the holding cells. It’s the only door down that way heavy enough to make the house shake.

“Mr. Callahan,” Officer Sutherland cautions from the other side of the pocket doors, his voice holding a hint of frantic pitchiness to it. “I’m unsure of exactly who you’re referring to, but I advise you to calm down before you think about seeing anyone.”

“Calm down?” Brian yells out with another blast of beta power, the likes of which I didn’t know he was capable of. At the first taste of his energy, my wolf connected to all of those here who’ve accepted us as their alpha, infusing them with a calm assurance that their alpha will handle this. Looking around the table, the only one to flinch under Brian’s second power surge is my mother. Everyone else merely sits up straighter in their chairs. My mother—the only one in this room to have not accepted me and my protection. I think on Bruce’s words, and I have to agree with his assessment. She needs to accept me and my wolf as her alpha. I am not my father, and if she’d just let her wolf and mine connect, to metaphysically sniff each other’s bums, as my mate so uniquely put it, I’m sure her worries would ease. Billie seems the least affected, kissing the underside of Jax’s jaw, not even looking at the door.

“She’s been disfigured!” Coco screeches out in indignation. DeLuca, Kubrick, and Mr. Benton all perk up at that statement, probably unaware of the details of everything that happened last night. “That mate-stealing whore of a fox tore my baby’s ear off, and they’re not allowing her to heal it!” All heads turn to Billie. She reclines back into Jax’s hold, a look of boredom on her face. According to the bond, she’s not so bored and is more than ready to take action if needed.

I turn to Ethan, and he to me. “Would you please inform the Callahans that they are to wait in one of the interview rooms downstairs. I’ll meet with them when we’re done here.”

Ethan jerks a nod and then pushes up to standing. He glides across the room to the closed pocket doors. Once there, he pauses. I watch his back straighten, and I sense more than see the prickling of energy run down his spine. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and my wolf cranes his head back, sensing the change in Ethan’s beta energy. Fuck. Is this part of me taking on the mantle of alpha? Does it extend to those I’m bonded to, to those who now hold the highest beta positions within the pack?

Before I can question much more about the apparent change in Ethan, he sends out his own beta energy, which is a maneuver he’s seldom used, having not been in a position where he’s needed to show the strength of his wolf’s power in this way. But I guess that will change, as Ethan is one of the betas bonded to the alpha. He and Jax are not just my bonded pack-mates and closest counsel—they’re my bodyguards and, if needed, enforcers. And it’s better for all of us, all of the pack, to feel their power, to understand their strength before they actually need to use it in action.

If Brian’s surge of power was a sloppy punch, then Ethan’s is a roundhouse kick with focused precision. The muffled sounds of bodies stumbling and hitting furniture or walls come from beyond the closed oak doors. After a moment, Ethan smoothly opens the doors and steps out, closing them behind him. His voice is low and level, barely audible. There’s some grumbling and attempted arguing, but again Ethan’s energy strikes out, and the bond is the only way I can feel it—it’s that refined. Concentrated and accurate. “Understood, Beta Emerson,” Officer Sutherland replies to an order we can’t hear. “Franklin,” Sutherland states, most likely into his comm device, “could you please come up and help escort the Callahans downstairs to await Alpha Knight?”

“On the way,” Franklin replies, his voice mixed with the static of the radio.

Sliding one door open, Ethan steps just inside the room and glides the door closed, before smoothly retaking his position at my right. “Done, Alpha,” he states, interlacing his hands low in his lap, not giving anything away.

“Thank you,” I nod trying to keep the shock and awe over what he just did off my face, and return my attention to the table. I swing my gaze between Elder Allan and Elder Ralph. “I have the other three volumes in the truck if the section on the process of the pack accepting a new alpha is not in this section. I need to come to a decision on how to handle wolves who were under my father and have yet to accept me as their alpha today. I’m leaning toward agreeing with Bruce’s statement. Three months is far too long. Any wolf on pack lands that’s not connected with mine needs to within the next few days.”

“It’s all in this volume, Alpha,” Elder Ralph says accompanied by a confirming nod from Elder Allan, who reaches out for the binder, which Ethan slides over to him.

“Good. Can you please find the section?” I ask, and then I look to Bruce. “And if you’d find the section in the abridged version, we can then have copies made for us all to review and discuss.”

“We should review the sections on dealing with alphas from other packs as well,” my mother adds, interlacing her fingers together on the table. “With Councilman Hogan and Veronica in custody, that may be good idea. I’m fairly certain we cannot hold him more than twenty-four hours, and if anything is found against him, he’ll most likely seek diplomatic immunity.”

I take a long-drawn inhale to prevent myself from reacting to the infuriating reality of her last statement. Diplomatic immunity. So he can do whatever he wants in our pack and then just leave without repercussions. “Thank you,” I reply with a humorless laugh. “That sounds like good idea because I’d like to know the stipulations around high-ranking officials visiting our lands for the future as well.” Straightening my spine, I survey the wolves at the table. “I want you all to understand I will do my best for the pack—do my best for our wolves and shifters in general. I am an alpha, but I am not like my father. I’m strong enough to know where I am lacking, and currently that is in the act of governing. I need counsel, and I’m asking those here, as well as Elder Eleanor, to be my counsel, to talk freely and discuss in confidence matters that affect members of our pack. If you feel like you’re unable to keep what we discuss to just us, or if you feel like aiding me in the governing of our pack is not worth your time, then please feel free to leave the table now. I will not hold anything against you or your decision. So, if any of you wish to leave, please do so.” Everyone looks around at each other and then returns their steady gazes back to me.

“If we’re going to be here for any length of time, can we take a break, maybe get some fresh air, Alpha?” Billie asks, dramatically batting her lashes at me.

“Is that amenable to all here?” I query, a small smile tickling the edges of my mouth.

They all nod in agreement, and I turn to Billie, “Take Jax or Ethan with you if you go outside. I don’t want any of the four of us alone.”

She pushes up from her seat between Jax’s legs and places her hands on the table, leaning into me until our cheeks are touching, she purrs, “Yes, Alpha.” Then she licks the lobe of my ear before spinning around, and grabbing Jax’s hands. “Come on, playmate. Let’s get me some meds and breathe in that fresh mountain air!” She playfully cheers as if she didn’t just make my balls pull up with two words and a flick of her tongue.

Swallowing down my bodily urges, I return my focus to the table. “Luna,” I state, coming to standing and looking at my mother. She raises her face to mine. “If you could, meet with Ethan and me on the back deck while we break.”

She rubs her pink-painted lips together and nods. “Certainly, Alpha.”

“If we’re to be here long, I can order some food,” Kubrick offers, standing up and pressing his blue tie down the front of his blue-and-white windowpane dress shirt. “I have preprepared buffet-style dishes on order with Rick and Ralph. All they’d need to do is heat them up and bring them over. Alpha.”

“Thanks, Ken, that would be extremely helpful,” I reply with a smile. “If there’s a chance for potatoes and chicken to be included, I’d appreciate it, and see if we can order enough for our pack officers since we’ve commandeered their station.”

“Will do,” he agrees and clears his throat. “Thank you for including in me these discussions, and for...” He shakes his head lightly and tosses me a lopsided grin. “For giving me a chance to prove that though I serve my clients according to their wishes, I have a voice of my own. And I’m not just my father’s son.”

“We are who we are by the choices we make and the actions we take, not by who we came from,” I state with a curt nod. Looking to my mother, I tilt my head to the side, indicating for her to follow me through the kitchen, Ethan having already slipped by me and waiting at the door.

Entering the kitchen, we find Officer White now out of his uniform, wearing dark jeans and an untucked camel-colored chamois long-sleeve. “Franklin, I hope you don’t mind us staying here a little longer. Many issues have arisen that need immediate resolution.”

“Not at all,” Franklin assures with an easy smile, pouring water into a coffee maker. “Anything you need, just let us know, Alpha.”

“Thank you, we’re on a break. Kubrick is ordering food for all here, including you, Sutherland, and any other officers. If you could direct the three of us to the back deck and ensure our privacy for a short while, that would be much appreciated,” I state.

Picking up a red-and-white plaid dish towel that matches the kitchen curtains, he wipes his hands. “Right, sure. This way.” He gestures to the reinforced steel door painted burgundy to resemble a barn door. Slinging the towel over his shoulder, Franklin squeezes by us to disable the alarm and open the door. Stepping outside, he points toward the back of the house. “The porch extends around the corner. Sutherland and I are the only ones here except for those in holding or in the interview rooms, all of which are soundproofed. Just knock on the door, and I’ll let you in, Alpha.”

Ethan steps out first. “Thank you, Officer White,” he says, striding forward, his eyes scanning the area before he takes his position at the corner.

“We shouldn’t be too long,” I inform him, extending my arm back to allow my mother to head out before me.

“However long you need, Alpha,” Franklin comments.

The crisp mountain air greets me, and I take a moment to let the coolness twine around me, inhaling the smell of pine and forest, a smell of home that tempers the tension in my body. I follow a few steps behind my mother, hearing the door close and the engagement of the security system within moments of striding away.